Free schools: Full steam ahead

Laura Kuenssberg just reported on the BBC News Channel that the Lib Dems have agreed to back the Conservatives free schools policy. I hope to God that's true. Numerous websites have been reporting rumours that David Laws has been confirmed as Schools Secretary and when I first heard that I thought it might be bad news. But even if that's true – my sources had tipped Gove for that job with Laws as his deputy – it sounds like the new Government will honour the Conservative manifesto pledges on education.

Stop Press: Story confirmed on Sky News – but possibly because they have someone sitting in front of the BBC News Channel in case they miss something. It's also in The Daily Mail, but the correspondent probably got the story from either the BBC or Sky:

Sources in Westminster said Liberal Democrat David Laws – an ex-banker who was once courted to switch to the Tories – was all but certain to be appointed Education Secretary to drive through the coalition's plans for a new generation of 'free schools'.

That provoked speculation that Michael Gove, the architect of the Tory schools plans, will get a promotion to Home Secretary, taking the role from Chris Grayling who was tainted by his comments over homosexuals.